Ripping opener for a container



March 22, 1966 w. AHLEMEYER 3,241,739

RIPPING OPENER FOR A CONTAINER Filed Oct. 5. 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .6 FIG. 2

ATTORNEYS March 22, 1966 Filed OCL. 5. 1964 FIG. 7 .2

w. l.. AHLEMEYER 3,241,739

RIPPING OPENER FOR A CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.

INVENTOR. WILLIAM L. AHLEMEYER ATTORNEYS United States Patent Giiice 3,241,739 RHPPING PlENER FR A CONTAINER William lL. Ahlemeyer, Louisville, Ky., assigner to Anaconda Aluminum Company, a corporation of Montana Filed Uct. 5, 1964, Ser. No. 401,507 Claims. (Cl. 229-51) This invention relates to a tubular container which has a substantially rigid body and end closure caps secured to each end of the body. It particularly relates to a container of this type which has a composite body formed of several plies of body material and has easy opening features incorporated into the body construction which permits the container to be opened by separating the body.

Composite containers, which are generally fabricated by helically winding convolutions of liner, body stock, and label plies, have gained wide acceptance for the packaging of many products, usually foodstuffs. These containers offer many economical advantages over metal containers and provide an additional functional advantage in that the composite body wall structure can be used as a means of opening the container by hand. Since these containers `are designed to be discarded once the contents have been removed from them, it is not necessary that the shape of the container be preserved when it is being opened, and therefore many containers have previously been designed to be opened by destroying the helical seams between adjacent convolutions of the plies comprising the container wall and twisting the container so that the contents are completely exposed. This type of container has gained particularly wide acceptance in the packaging of refrigerated dough products, and in this particular construction the container is generally opened by stripping away the label ply and then striking the side wall of the container against a sharp-edge surface so that the helical butt seam of the body stock ply and the lin-er ply along the butt steam are forcibly separated and the container can then be twisted to open the container to remove the contents.

It is an object of this invention to provide a container of this general character which is constructed soI that by simply stripping the label ply from the container the body stock ply and the liner ply will be separated along the body stock ply seam and initial or complete opening of the container can thereby be effected.

Broadly stated, the invention provides a tubular container having 4a substantially rigid body and the end closure caps secured to each end of the body. The body is comprised of a liner ply formed of va laminate of layers of a fluid-impervious film and paper and it is helically wound with the marginal edge portions of adjacent convolutions of the liner ply adhesively sealed together with the fluid-impervious layers of the respective convolutions facing toward each other to form a liner ply seam. At least one ply of body stock is helically wound into tubular form with the liner ply seam extending between and beyond the respective side edges of adjacent convolutions to define a body stock seam. The liner ply seam is also folded back against an adjacent outer surface marginal portion of one convolution of the body stock and the paper layer of the other folded back marginal portion of the liner ply delining the liner ply seam faces away from the body stock on the outside of the fold. The liner ply and body stock are so arranged that the paper layer adjoins and lines the inside surface of the body stock and the fluid-impervious layer faces away from the body stock. A label ply is helically wound about and adjoins the outer surface of the body stock and the folded back `seam along the paper layer of the folded back mar- 3,241,739 Patented Mar. 22, 1966 ginal portion on the outside of the seam. A score is cut into the label ply along a portion thereof which substantially overlies the body ply seam to ease stripping of the label ply from the body stock, whereby said stripping causes the connected portion of the folded back seam to be stripped with the label and thereby initiate tearing of the liner ply at the body ply seam so as to open the inside of the container .along the body ply seam.

It is particularly proposed to score the label ply so that either substantially the entire label ply or simply a strip portion thereof can be helically stripped from the container and thereby tear the liner ply along the body stock ply seam Iso that only a helical strip portion which substantially overlies the body stock ply seam is stripped from the container. Additionally it is proposed to position a starting member, either a tape or a string, Within the body wall of the container so that a portion thereof is sandwiched between the outer surface of the body ply and the folded back portion of the liner ply seam, which starting member adjoins the label ply sothat stripping of the label ply where scored will cause the starting member to lift the folded back marginal portion as the label ply is stripped, and -aid in initiating the tearing of the liner ply at the body ply seam.

A container having this construction offers many advantages in ease of opening the container to gain access to the contents through the body of the container. Instead of having to strike the side wall of the container against a sharp surface and then manually twist the container further to separate the side wall of the container helically along the body ply seam, this container is constructed so that the simple operation of stripping the label ply initiates tearing of the liner ply between the body ply seam, and thus the container can be fully helically opened by this stripping action. The container of the invention also provides a non-wicking liner ply seam which is advantageously positioned between adjacent side edges of adjoining convolutions of the body ply at the body ply seam, and is thereby buried within the body wall construction of the container to provide a container which is not only substantially leak proof, but also one which can be hermetically sealed.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described hereinbelow with reference to the drawings wherein:

FIG. l is a side elevation of one embodiment of the tubular container;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the lines 2-2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section substantially as shown in FIG. 2 showing particularly the body and seam construction;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged section substantially as shown in FIG. 3 showing the label ply being stripped from the container;

FIG. 5 is a perspective of one end of the container shown in FIG. l with the label ply partially stripped from the container in the manner shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective of a portion of the container showing a portion of the label ply of being stripped lfrom the container helically along the body ply seam of the body ply;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation partly broken away showing a third embodiment of the invention in which the label ply is scored so that substantially the entire label ply is to be stripped from the container and has a helical starting strip provided;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation partly broken away of a fourth embodiment of the invention in which the container is scored to remove a helical portion of the label ply, and has a helical starting strip;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation partly broken away of a tubular container showing a fourth embodiment of the invention in which a helical starting string is provided; and

` FIG. 10 is a section taken along lines 10--10 of FIG. 9 showing the body seam of the tubular container and the positioning of the string therein.

A container 10 is shown in FIGS. 1-5 constructed with a rigid body 11 and end closure caps 12 and 13 attached to opposite ends of the container. The rigid body 11 is `formed of a `composite structure of a helically wound liner ply 14, body stock ply 15 and label ply 16. As shown in FIG. 3 the liner ply is constructed of a laminate of a fluid-impervious film 17, usually aluminum foil, and paperbacking 18. In the formation of the container adjacent marginal portions 19 and 20 of adjacent convolutions of liner ply 14 are extended radially outwardly from the generally cylindrical form of the helically wound convolutions and these marginal portions are adhesively sealed together foil-to-foil so as to define a liner ply seam 21. It has been found that by making a foil-to-foil liner seam, and arranging the liner ply so that only foil defines the interior surface of the container, there is no wicking of the contents into the liner ply and through it into the body of the container which might weaken or otherwise damage the structural integrity of the container.

Once the liner ply is helically wound in this manner a body stock ply consisting of paperboard is helically wound about the liner ply seam so that its inner surface 22 adjoins by adhesive sealing the paperbacking 18 of the liner ply. A body ply seam 23 is defined between adjacent convolutions of the body stock 15 and the liner ply seam 21 extends radially outward between the body ply seam 23 and beyond it. It is to be noted that the body ply seam 23 is essentially a butt seam but the edges of adjacent convolutions are spaced apart by the thickness of the liner ply seam which is positioned between the adjacent edges. This body stock ply 15 can be formed of a single ply of paperboard or several plies depending upon the strength and rigidity desired and on the strength and rigidity of individual paperboard plies which are chosen.

As best shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5 positioned adjacent a marginal edge portion 24 of the outer surface of the body stock ply 15 and extending from adjacent the body ply seam 23 to a limited extent about the container is a thin starting member, here a tape 25 which in this embodiment is made of about 1A inch width cellophane tape. Once the starting tape 25 is positioned as described, the portion of the liner ply seam 21 which extended beyond the body stock ply 15 is folded back against the marginal portion 24 of the body stock ply helically along the entire convolution and thereby the starting tape 25 is sandwiched between the folded back portion of the liner ply seam and the marginal edge portion 24 of the body stock ply. As will be seen this starting tape 25 is incorporated into the body wall construction to aid in starting the easy opening features of the container but is not necessary in all instances if a proper choice of materials is made for the liner ply 14. For example, if a groundwood or sulfits paper-backed foil liner ply 14 were used, the starting tape would not be necessary.

Once the liner ply seam 21 is folded back against the body stock ply 15 as described, a label ply 16 which generally consists of a laminate, of a fluid-impervious film 27, usually aluminum foil, and a paperbacking 28 is helically wound about the body stock ply 15 so that the paperbacking 28 adhesively adjoins the outer surface of the body stock ply. The label ply 16 is helically wound so that its adjacent convolutions form a simple overlapping label ply seam 29.

In order to facilitate the stripping of the label ply from the container to initiate opening of the container through the rigid body 11, a substatnially circumferentially extending score 30 is cut into the label ply 16 adjacent one end closure cap 12 and extends from the label ply seam 29 along a portion thereof adjacent the starting tape and beyond the body ply seal 23. This score 30 can be in the form of a score line cut substantially through the label ply or it can take the form of perforations or any other means ordinarily used to weaken a ply of this type for separation.

By this construction the portion of the label ply 16 where the score 30 substantially intersects the label ply seam 29 is essentially a tab portion 31 which can be grabbed by the fingers and held to initiate peeling of the label ply from the body stock ply 15. As shown in FIG. 5 by lifting the tab portion 31 of the label ply, the label ply will separate along the score 30 and along the label ply seam 29 so as to permit the label ply to be helically stripped from the body stock ply 15. In initially stripping the label ply, the starting tape 25 which is adhesively sealed to the label ply 16 is stripped with the label ply and being sandwiched between the liner ply seam 21 and the marginal edge portion 24 of the body stock ply 15, the folded back portion of the liner ply seam is held between the starting tape 25 and the label ply seam which adjoins it and this causes the liner ply seam to be lifted as a unit with the label ply and thereby causes it to be torn from the remainder of the liner ply substantially between the body ply seam 23 as shown in FIG. 4. This tearing of the liner ply seam is initiated with the assistance of the starting tape 25 and once the initial tear has been made, continued helical stripping of the label ply 16 will cause the liner ply 14 to be torn in a similar manner along the entire helical extent of the body ply seam 23. Thus, by the container construction described, the label ply can be simply separated from the body stock ply by stripping it from the outer surface of the body stock ply to which it is adhesively adjoined and simultaneously effect separation between the body ply seam 23 by removal of the portion of the liner ply seam therebetween and also to separate the liner ply along this body ply seam 23 so as to completely and automatically open the rigid body 11 of the container in a single stripping operation.

Some Imodifications can be made in the construction of the container described in FIGS. 1-5 without departing from the scope of the invention and these are described in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8. In FIG. 6 the container has the identical construction to that shown in FIGS. l-5, however, a starting tape has a shorted circumferential extent in this construction and the container has a label ply 36 which has a first substantially circumferentially extending score 37 cut into the label ply 36 along a portion thereof which substantially overlies the body ply seam 38 of the body ply 39. The first score 37 extends from the label 'ply seam 40 to define a tab portion 41 between the first score and the label ply seam. A second helical score 42 cut in said label ply 36 extends from said first score 37 substantially parallel to the label ply seam so that the body ply seam 38 is positioned between the second 4score 42 and the label ply seam. This arrangement provides a starting point from which a helical strip 43 defined by first score 37, second score 42 and the label ply seam 40 can be stripped from the container wall.

In FIG. 7 the container has the identical construction as that shown in FIGS. l-5 with the exception that instead of the starting tape 25 being positioned as described above a helically extending starting tape 44 is sandwiched between the folded back portion of a liner ply seam 45 and extends outwardly beyond the folded back portion of the liner ply seam. By this construction a tape 44 is provided to extend helically between the entire folded back portion of the liner ply seam So as to insure correct separation of the liner ply seam along substantially the entire helical extent thereof.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 8 is essentially a combination of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 and that -shown in FIG. 7. A starting tape 46 extends helically Ibetween the folded back portion of a liner ply seam 47 in the same manner described in FIG. 7. The label ply in this embodiment is scored in the manner described in FIG. 6 so as to effect removal of a helical portion 48 of the label `ply rather than the entire helical convolution as shown in FIGS. l-S and FIG. 7.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 has the same general body construction as that shown in FIG. 8. The rigid body is formed of a composite structure of a helically wound liner ply 50, body stock ply 51, and label ply 52. In its formation, adjacent marginal portions 53 and 54 of adjacent convolutions of liner ply 5@ are extended radially outwardly and are adhesively sealed together to `define a liner ply seam 55 which extends radially outwardly between a body ply seam 56 and beyond in the same manner as described in detail in the first embodiment above. The liner ply seam 55 is folded back against a marginal portion 57 of the body stock ply 5l helically along the entire convolution7 and the label ply 52 is helically wound about the body stock ply so that it adhesively adjoins the outer surface of the body stock ply.

In this embodiment the starting member is a helically extending string 58 which is sandwiched between the folded back portion of the liner ply seam 55 precisely at the inside of the fold of the liner :ply seam. By this construction the string is provided to extend helically 'between the entire folded back portion of the liner ply seam along substantially the entire helical extent thereof and the `string is embedded entirely within the body of the container.

This embodiment has some slight modifications in the formation of a starting tab from that shown in the other embodiments although it is nearly the same as that shown in FIGS. 6 and 8. The label ply S2 has a first substantially circumferentially extending score S9 cut into the label ply along a portion thereof which substantially overlies the body ply seam 56 of the body stock ply 5l. This first score 59 extends from a simple overlap label ply seam 60 to a point substantially over th-e lbody ply seam. A second substantially circumferentially extending score 61 is cut into the label ply also from the label ply seam 60 to a point substantially over the body ply seam and is spaced from and extends parallel to the first score 59. By this arrangement this pair of score lines defines a tab portion 62 in the label ply which can be stripped circumferentially from the container wall. Positioned sandwichesd between the tab portion 62 and the body stock ply 51 is an end portion 63 of the string 58, so that by pulling the tab portion away from the container wall, the end portion of the string 58 is thereby removed and continuous stripping thereof causes the string to cut through the folded Vback liner ply seam and the label ply to separate the container between the `body ply seam.

It is also to be noted that the helical -tab and stripping scores provided in the label ply can be made at the winder during the formation of the body of the container as an alternative to pre-scoring the label ply, thus contributing to the economy of manufacture.

Among the products, other than dough biscuits, which can be packaged in the container those suggested have included frozen juice concentrates when thawing the product before reconstitution with water is not desired, packaging non-liquid products where a reclosure feature is not desired, and packaging of delicate products which require a very easy opening container to expose lthe entire contents.

I claim:

ll. A tubular container having a substantially rigid body and end closure caps secured to each end of the body, said body having a liner ply formed of a laminate of layers of a Huid-impervious film and paper, the liner ply being helically wound with the marginal edge portions of adjacent convolutions of the liner ply being adhesively sealed together with the fluid-impervious layers of the respective convolutions facing toward each other to form a liner ply seam, at least one ply of body stock helically wound into tubular form with said liner ply seam extending between and beyond the respective side edges of adjacent convolutions to define a body stock seam and said liner ply seam being folded back against an adjacent outer surface marginal portion of one convolution of the body stock so that the paper layer of one folded back marginal portion of liner ply defining the Iliner ply seam faces against the marginal portion of the body stock and the paper layer of the other folded back marginal portion of liner ply defining the liner ply seam faces away from the body stock on the outside of the fold, said liner ply and body stock being so 4arranged that the paper layer adjoins and lines the inside surface of the body stock and the fluidimpervious layer faces away from the body stock, a label ply helically wound about 4and adjoining the outer surface of the body stock and said folded back seam along the paper layer of the folded back marginal portion on the outside of the seam, and a score cut in said label ply along a portion thereof which substantially overlies the body ply seam to ease stripping of said label ply from the body stock, whereby said stripping causes the folded back seam to be stripped with the label and thereby initiate tearing of the liner ply at the body ply seam so as to open the inside of the container along the body ply seam.

2. A tubular container having a substantially rigid body and end closure caps secured to each end of the body, said body having a liner -ply formed of a laminate of layers of a fluid-impervious film and paper, the liner ply being helically wound with the marginal edge portions of adjacent convolutions of the liner ply being adhesively sealed together with the Huid-impervious layers of the respective convolutions facing toward each other to form a liner ply seam, at least one ply of body stock helically wound into tubular form with said liner ply seam extending between and beyond the respective side edges of adjacent convolutions to define `a body stock seam and said liner ply seam being folded back against an adjacent outer surface margin-al portion of one convolution of the body stock so that the paper layer of one folded back marginal portion of liner ply defining the liner ply seam faces against the marginal portion of the body stock and the paper layer of the other folded back marginal portion of liner ply defining the liner ply seam faces away from the body stock on the outside of the fold, said liner ply and body stock being so arranged that the paper layer a-djoins and lines the inside surface of the body stock and the fluid-impervious layer faces away from the body stock, a label ply helically wound 4about and adjoining the outer surface of the body stock and said folded back seam along the paper layer of the folded back marginal portion on the outside of the seam and a label ply seam defined by adjacent overlapping convolutions, and a score cut in said label ply along a portion thereof which substantially overlies the body ply seam and extending from said label ply seam to define a tab portion between the score and the label ply seam to ease stripping of said label ply from the body stock, whereby said stripping causes the folded back seam to be stripped with the label and thereby initiate tearing of the liner ply at the body ply seam so `as to open the inside of the container along the body ply seam.

3. A tubular container having a substantially rigid body and end closure caps secured to each end of the body, said body having a liner ply formed of a laminate of layers of a fluid-impervious film and paper, the liner ply being helically wound with the marginal edge portions of adjacent convolutions of the liner ply being adhesively sealed together with the fluid-impervious layers of the respective convolutions facing toward each other to form a liner ply seam, at least one ply of body stock helically wound into tubular form with said liner ply seam extending between and beyond the respective side edges of adjacent convolutions to define a body stock seam and said liner ply seam being folded back against an adjacent outer surface marginal portion of one convolution of the body stock so that the paper layer of one folded back marginal portion of liner ply defining the liner ply seam faces against the marginal portion of the body stock and the paper layer of the other folded back marginal portion of liner ply defining the liner ply seam faces away from the body stock on the outside of the fold, said liner ply and body stock being so arranged that the paper layer adjoins and lines the inside surface of the body stock and the fluid-impervious layer faces away from the body stock, a label ply helically wound about and adjoining the outer surface of the body stock and said folded back seam along the paper layer of the folded back marginal portion on the outside of the seam, and a label ply seam defined by adjacent convolutions overlapping, a first substantially circumferentially extending score cut in said label ply along a portion thereof which substantially overlies the body ply seam and extending from said label ply seam to define a tab portion between the score and the label ply seam, and a second helical score cut in said label ply and extending from said rst score substantially parallel to the label ply seam with the body ply seam therebetween to define a separable strip to ease stripping of said label ply from the body stock, whereby said stripping causes `the folded back seam to be stripped with the label and thereby initiate tearing of the liner ply at the body ply seam so as to open the inside of the container along the body ply seam.

4. A tubular container having a substantially rigid body and end closure caps secured to each end of the body, said body having a liner ply formed of a laminate of layers of a fluid impervious film and paper, the liner ply being helically wound with the marginal edge portions of adjacent convolutions of the liner ply being adhesively sealed together with the fluid-impervious layers of the respective convolutions facing toward each other to form a liner ply seam, at least one ply of body stock helically wound into tubular form with said liner ply seam extending between and beyond the respective side edges of adjacent convolutions to define a body stock seam and said liner ply seam being folded back against an adjacent outer surface marginal portion of one convolution of the body stock so that the paper layer of one folded back marginal portion of liner ply defining the liner ply seam faces against the marginal portion of the body stock and the paper layer of the other folded back marginal portion of liner ply defining the liner ply seam faces away from the body stock on the outside of the fold, said liner ply and body stock being so arranged that the paper layer adjoins and lines the inside surface of the body stock and the fluid-impervious layer faces away from the body stock, a label ply helically wound about and adjoining the outer surface of the body stock and said folded back seam along the paper layer of the folded back marginal portion on the outside of the seam, a score cut in said label ply along a portion thereof which substantially overlies the body ply seam to ease stripping of said label ply from the body stock, and a starting member having a portion sandwiched between the folded back liner ply seam and the outer marginal edge portion of the body stock ply and another portion connected to said label ply whereby said stripping causes the starting member and the folded back seam to be stripped with the label and thereby initiate tearing of the liner ply at the body ply seam so as to open the inside of the container along the body ply seam.

5. A container according to claim 4 wherein said starting member is a tape.

6. A container according to claim 4 wherein said starting member is a string.

7. A container according to claim 4 wherein said starting member is sandwiched between the folded back liner ply seam and body stock ply substantially entirely along the helical extent of said liner ply seam.

8. A tubular container having a substantially rigid body and end closure caps secured to each end of the body, sa-id body having a liner ply formed of a laminate of layers of a fluid-impervious film and paper, the liner ply being helically wound with the marginal edge portions of adjacent convolutions of the liner ply being adhesively sealed together with the fluid-impervious layers of the respective convolutions facing toward each other to form a liner ply seam, at least one ply of body stock helically wound into tubular form with said liner ply seam extending between and beyond the respective side edges of adjacent convolutions to define a body stock seam and said liner ply seam being folded back against an adjacent outer surface marginal portion of one convolution of the body stock so that the paper layer of one folded back marginal portion of liner ply defining the liner ply seam faces against the marginal portion of the body stock and the paper layer of the other folded back marginal portion of liner ply defining the liner ply seam faces away from the body stock on the outside of the fold, said liner ply and body stock being so arranged that the paper layer adjoins and lines the inside surface of the body stock and the fluid-impervious layer faces away from the body stock, a label ply `helically wound about `and adjoining the outer surface of the body stock and said folded back seam along the paper layer of the folded back marginal portion on the outside of the seam and a label ply seam defined by adjacent overlapping convolutions, a score cut in said label ply along a portion thereof which substantially overlies the body ply seam and extending from said label ply seam to define a tab port-ion between the score and the label ply seam to ease stripping of said label ply from the body stock, and a starting member having a portion sandwiched between the folded back liner ply seam and the outer marginal edge portion of the body stock ply and another portion connected to said label ply whereby said stripping causes the starting member and the folded back seam to be stripped with the label and thereby initiate tearing of the liner ply at the body ply seam so as to open the inside of the container along the body ply seam.

9. A container according to claim 8 wherein said starting member is sandwiched between the folded back liner ply seam and body stock ply substantially entirely along the helical extent of said liner ply seam.

10. A container according to claim 9 wherein said starting member is a string which is positioned between the folded back liner ply seam and body stock ply at the fold of the folded back portion.

11. A tubular container having a substantially rigid body and end closure caps secured to each end of the body, said body having a liner ply formed of a laminate of layers of a fluid-impervious film and paper, the liner ply being helically wound with the marginal edge portions of adjacent convolutions of the liner ply being adhesively sealed together with the fluid-impervious layers of the respective convolutions facing toward each other to forni a liner ply seam, at least one ply of body stock helically wound into tubular form with said liner ply seam extending between and beyond the respective side edges of adjacent convolutions to define a body stock seam and said liner ply seam being folded back against an adjacent outer surface marginal portion of one convolution of the body stock so that the paper layer of one folded back marginal portion of liner ply defining the liner ply seam faces against the marginal portion of the body stock and the paper layer of the other folded back marginal portion of liner ply defining the liner ply seam faces away from the body stock on the outside of the fold, said liner ply and body stock being so arranged that the paper layer adjoins and lines the inside surface of the body stock and the lipid-impervious layer faces away from the body stock, a label ply helically wound about and adjoining the outer surface of the body stock and said folded back seam along the paper layer of the folded back marginal portion on the outside of the seam, and .a label ply seam defined by adjacent convolutions overlapping a first substantially circumferentially extending score cut in said label ply along a portion thereof which substantially overlies the body ply seam and extending from said label ply seam to define a tab portion between the score and the label ply seam, and a second helical score cut in said label ply and extending from said first score substantially parallel to the label ply seam with the body ply seam therebetween to define a separable strip to ease stripping of said label ply from the body stock, and a starting member having a portion sandwiched between the folded back liner ply seam and the outer marginal edge portion of the body stock ply and another portion connected to said label ply, whereby said stripping causes the starting member and the folded back seam to be stripped with the label and thereby initiate tearing of the liner ply at the body ply seam so as to open the inside of the container along the body ply seam.

12. A container according to claim 11 wherein said starting member is sandwiched between the folded back liner ply seam and body stock ply substantially entirely along the helical extent of said liner ply seam.

13. A container according to claim 11 wherein said starting member is a tape.

14. A container according to claim 11 wherein said starting member is a string.

15. A tubular container having a substantially rigid body and end closure caps secured to each end of the body, said body having a liner ply formed of a laminate of layers of a fluid-impervious film and paper, the liner ply being helically wound with the marginal edge portions of adjacent convolutions of the liner ply being adhesively sealed together with the fluid-impervious layers of the respective convolutions facing tow-ard each other to form a liner ply seam, at least one ply of body stock helically wound into tubular form with said liner ply seam extending between and -beyond the respective side edges of adjacent convolutions to define a body stock seam and said liner ply seam being folded back against an adjacent outer surface marginal portion of one convolution of the body stock so that the paper layer of one folded back marginal portion of liner ply defining the liner ply seam faces against the marginal portion of the body stock and the paper layer of the other folded back marginal portion of liner ply defining the liner ply seam faces away from the body stock on the outside of the fold, said liner ply and body stock being so arranged that the paper layer adjoins and lines the inside surface of the body stock and the fluid-impervious layer faces away from the body stock, a label ply helically wound about and adjoining the outer surface of the body stock and said folded back seam along the paper layer of the folded back marginal portion on the outside of the seam, and a label ply seam dened by adjacent convolutions overlapping a first substantially circumferentially extending score cut in said label ply along a port-ion thereof which substantially overlies the body ply seam and extending from said label ply seam, and a second circumferentiaily extending score cut in said label ply and extending from a portion thereof which substantially overlies the body seam to said label ply seam substantially parallel to said first score to define a tab portion between the first score and second score which is a separable strip to ease stripping of said label ply from the body stock, and a starting string having a portion sandwiched between the folded back liner ply seam and the outer marginal edge portion of the body stock ply at the fold of the folded back liner ply seam and an end portion connected to said label ply under said tab portion, whereby said stripping causes the starting string and the folded back seam to be stripped with the label and thereby initiate tearing of the liner ply `at the body ply seam so as to open the inside of the :container along the body ply seam.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS '1,973,317 9/1934 Hurley 229-4.5 2,440,339 4/ 1948 Langer.

2,775,395 12/1956 Bergstrom 229-51 2,795,366 6/1957 Magia 22a- 51 3,021,048 2/1962 Pottle et :al 229-51 3,030,001 4/1962 Stump 229-51 3,051,370 8/1962 Hanlon 229-51 3,053,385 9/1962 Spees 229-51 X 3,055,575 9/1962 Gerard 2129-51 X 3,064,269 6/1963 Schneider 229-66 X 3,157,336 11/1964 Elam 229-45 3,174,676 3/1965 Stump et al 229-51 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Exmniner. 

1. A TUBULAR CONTAINER HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID BODY AND END CLOSURE CAPS SECURED TO EACH END OF THE BODY, SAID BODY HAVING A LINER PLY FORMED OF A LAMINATE OF LAYERS OF A FLUID-IMPERVIOUS FILM AND PAPER, THE LINER PLY BEING HELICALLY WOUND WITH THE MARGINAL EDGE PORTIONS OF ADJACENT CONVOLUTIONS OF THE LINER PLY BEING ADHESIVELY SEALED TOGETHER WITH THE FLUID-IMPERVIOUS LAYERS OF THE RESPECTIVE CONVOLUTIONS FACING TOWARD EACH OTHER TO FORM A LINER PLY SEAM, AT LEAST ONE PLY OF BODY STOCK HELICALLY WOUND INTO TUBULAR FORM WITH SAID LINER PLY SEAM EXTENDING BETWEEN AND BEYOND THE RESPECTIVE SIDE EDGES OF ADJACENT CONVOLUTIONS TO DEFINE A BODY STOCK SEAM AND SAID LINER PLY SEAM BEING FOLDED BACK AGAINST AN ADJACENT OUTER SURFACE MARGINAL PORTION OF ONE CONVOLUTION OF THE BODY STOCK SO THAT THE PAPER LAYER OF ONE FOLDED BACK MARGINAL PORTION OF LINER PLY DEFINING THE LINER PLY SEAM FACES AGAINST THE MARGINAL PORTION OF THE BODY STOCK AND THE PAPER LAYER OF THE OTHER BACK MARGINAL PORTION OF LINER PLY DEFINING THE PLY SEAM FACES AWAY FROM THE BODY STOCK ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE FOLD, SAID LINER PLY AND BODY STOCK BEING SO ARRANGED THAT THE PAPER LAYER ADJOINS AND LINES THE INSIDE SURFACE OF THE BODY STOCK AND THE FLUIDIMPERVIOUS LAYER FACES AWAY FROM THE BODY STOCK, A LABEL PLY HELICALLY WOUND ABOTU AND ADJOINING THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE BODY STOCK AND SAID FOLDED BACK SEAM ALONG THE PAPER LAYER OF THE FOLDED BACK MARGINAL PORTION ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE SEAM, AND A SCORE CUT IN SAID LABLE PLY ALONG A PORTION THEREOF WHICH SUBSTANTIALLY OVERLIES THE BODY PLY SEAM TO EASE STRIPPING OF SAID LABEL PLY FROM THE BODY STOCK, WHEREBY SAID STRIPPING CAUSES THE FOLDED BACK SEAM TO BE STRIPPED WITH THE LABEL AND THEREBY INITIATE TEARING OF THE LINER PLY AT THE BODY PLY SEAM SO AS TO OPEN THE INSIDE OF THE CONTAINER ALONG THE BODY PLY SEAM. 